Tide Wins Showdown Of Aces To Open SEC Play Over Texas A&M

TUSCALOOSA, AL — No. 17 Alabama baseball (18-1, 1-0 SEC) opened Southeastern Conference play Friday with a thrilling 6-4 win over No. 19 Texas A&M in a show of two elite arms.

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Alabama's Friday night starter Zane Adams faced off against Texas A&M's Ryan Prager in a matchup of standout lefties, with the bullpens finishing both games for the pair of ranked teams.

Adams had another impressive start, logging 5.2 innings with four strikeouts, one earned run and one walk on the day.

It would be Tide closer Carson Ozmer, however, who picked up his first win of the season, throwing 2.2 innings and striking out two to close the door on the Aggies.

The Tide got on the board early with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning from the hot bat of first baseman Will Hodo, which was later complimented by right fielder Bryce Fowler, who had a solo homer in the top half of the fifth.

As the series-opener came down to the bullpens, power-hitting second baseman Brennen Norton put Alabama ahead with a solo home run in the ninth inning before left fielder and team captain Kade Snell followed it up with a homer to extend the lead to 6-4.

The Crimson Tide will take on the Aggies in game two of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m., with Riley Quick getting the start for Alabama on the mound.

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